Unwinder



Jan. 8, 1924. 1,4s0,'224

C. A. SENTOU ET AL UNWINDER Filed Sent. 27. 1921 INVENTOR C.A.5ENTOU. BY 5. :rAcqul-z'r.

Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

CAMILLE-"Al SENTOU'LAND ETIENNE TACQUET, .012 FORT LEE, NEW J'ERSEY, ASSIG:NQRS,..

BY' llIESNE'ASSIGNMENTS, TO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, OF. ROCHESTER;

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

unwmnnas Z '0 all whom it may concern:

We, CAMILLE A. SEN'roU and ETIENNE Jacomrr, both citizens of-the Republic of France, andresidents' of Fort Lee, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Unwinder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an unwinder suitable for photographic films of the type utilized in motion picture industries and has reference more particularly to a device for supporting a roll of film to be fed to a developing machine.

The invention is characterized by the provision of an unwinder with guiding means of a particular construction. adapted to engage the film at the edge to change its direction and cause sufficient friction to prevent the film from slacking between the unwinder and the machine. It may be remarked that the change of direction is obtained without any rotary frictional means, as is commonly employed in this type of device.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of the specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of the device embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2, Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2,

Figure elis a section On line 4et, Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, 5 is the base of the frame of the unwinder, from which base two spaced uprights 6 rise and between which uprights a roll of film is to be supported. Each of the uprights has a seat 7 at the top into which a bearing block 8 is secured. Each block is provided with a V- notch 9; the V-notches of the two blocks aligning to form bearings for a shaft 10 which is to carry the roll of film between the uprights 6. Each upright 6 at the base is provided with a quadrant 11 disposed in a plane parallel to the planes of the uprights. Each of the quadrants has a circular V-notch 12, forming a fraction of acircle, the notches 12 of the two quadrants facing each other. The quadrants are so secured to the uprights that the two notches are on the same cylindrical surface, the axis of which cylindrical surface is substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft 10.

To properly guide the film 13 of the roll notches 12 of the iquadra-nts 11,-we1prot'ide additional. quadrants 115, one ioneach of the uprights 6.; Each-of theequadrants '15 has a circular beveled convex face 16, forming a fraction of a circle. The quadrants 15 are so secured to their corresponding uprights that the beveled faces 16 of the quadrants 15 form a continuation of a corresponding concave face of a V-notch 12. In view of the fact that the quadrants 15 present convex faces 16 to the film 13 of the roll 14, the said film will always contact first with the beveled faces 15 of the quadrants 16, no matter what the diameter of the roll 14 is, before it can enter the notches 12 of the quadrants 11.

The notches 12 are the means for changing the direction of the film and causing sufiicient friction to the film at the edges to produce sutficient drag and prevent the unrolling of the roll when pull upon the film 13 below the quadrants 11 has ceased.

The beveled faces 16 and the V-notches 12 of the corresponding quadrants 11 and 15 in reality form curvilinear guiding surfaces which are adapted to frictionally engage the. edges of the film 13 coming from the roll 14. These guiding means are stationary as will be noted and the engagement of the edges of the film with the said guiding curvilinear surfaces is such that in addition to giving to the film the desired change in direction, it prevents the roll of film 14- from unrolling when the constant pull of a developing machine ceases, from one cause or another, during the manufacture.

We claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a

support for a roll of film, means presenting fractional circular V-notches which are adapted to engage and guide the edges of a film and means for guiding the film into the notches. I

2. In a device of the class described, a vertical support for a roll of film, stationary means associated with the support for presenting curvilinear V-notches for engaging the edges of the film, and means associated with the support for guiding the film from the roll to the notches.

3. In a device of the class described, a support for a roll of film, stationary means presenting curvilinear V-notches adapted to engage the edges of the film, and stationary means presenting curvilinear guiding surfaces for directing the film into the V- notches.

at. In a device of the class described, a support for a roll of film, facing quadrants secured to the supports, said quadrants having facing curvilinear V-notches each forming a fraction of a circle, means secured to the support presenting convex beveled surfaces for guiding the edges of a film into the V-notches of the quadrants.

5. In a device of the class described, a vertical support for a roll of film, quadrants secured to the support, the said quadrants having facing circular V-notches,

each notch forming a fraction of a circle, means presenting a convex beveled surface to said quadrants so that the said beveled surface forms a continuation of the convex faces of the notches, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a device of the class described, a support for a roll of film, groove means as sociated With the support for frictionally engaging With the edges of the film, and

stationary means for guiding the film from the roll to the grooved means.

CAMILLE A. SENTOIE. ETIENNE JACQUEI. 

